Rapid respond electronic clinical thermometer

ABSTRACT

A rapid respond electronic clinical thermometer is disclosed. The clinical thermometer comprises a measuring and end portion adhered a metal head portion having a temperature sensing element and a conductive wire joining the temperature sensing element, characterized in that the conductive wire is adhered to the inner wall of the metal head portion such that the conductive wire is not a heat dissipation portion for heat energy surrounded the sensing element, and further acts as a source of heat energy compensation so as to rapid indicate the mercury temperature, reducing the temperature measuring time.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a clinical thermometer, and inparticular, an electronic thermometer having a measuring end portionbeing adhered with a metal head portion having a temperature sensingelement and a conductive wire joining the temperature sensing element,and the conductive wire is adhered to the inner wall of the metal headportion such that the conductive wire is not a heat dissipation portionfor heat energy surrounded the sensing element, and the conductive wirefurther acts as a source of heat energy compensation so as to rapidindicate the accurate temperature, reducing the time for measuringtemperature measuring.

[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Normally, a conventional electronic clinical thermometer takes along time in measuring body temperature and only until 1980-1990, rapidrespond electronic clinical thermometers are exploited, however, aplurality of expensive components are employed in these thermometers.Recently available electronic clinical thermometers are rapid inmeasuring the temperature of a person, and the size of the thermometeris small. This is due to the reduction in size with respect to some ofthe components used in the thermometer. The drawbacks of conventionalclinical thermometer are as follows:

[0005] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a conventionalclinical thermometer comprising a body 10, a measuring end 21 connectingthe body 10, a metal head portion 22 provided at the end portion of themeasuring end 21, and the body 10 comprises a display element 13 and apress button switch 14. As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional clinicalthermometer having a metal head portion 22 contains a thermistor 23which is connected to a conductive wire 25.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 3, it is shown that a major part of the heatenergy is lost to form a heat stream 32. Due to the large capacity ofmetal head 22, it takes about 60-90 second to reach equilibrium.

[0007] The above conventional clinical thermometer has the drawback oflarge heat capacity.

[0008]FIG. 4 shows a conventional clinical thermometer which has beengranted as U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,248. The interior of the measuring endhas a heating element 48.

[0009]FIG. 5 shows the loss of heat energy from the measuring endportion to form heat stream 52 and 53. Due to the fact that the heatstream is reduced and therefore heat equilibrium can be obtained easily,the measuring time is shorter to 4 to 15 seconds.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,555 discloses a clinical thermometer having amicroprocessor to predict the measuring result by way of predictivealgorithm. The required time for measuring is 4 to 15 seconds.

[0011] PCT WO00/22396 discloses a rapid measuring of a clinicalthermometer. As shown in FIG. 6, the thermometer comprises a body 61having a measuring end 62, a metal head portion 63 and a sensing element64 within the metal head 63.

[0012] The conventional clinical thermometers with patents mentionedabove focus on reducing the media within the metal head portion and themetal head portion without considering the influence of the conductivewire on the heat equilibrium. Accordingly, it is an object of thepresent invention to mitigate the above drawbacks by providing a rapidrespond electronic clinical thermometer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea rapid respond electronic clinical thermometer having a measuring endportion being adhered with a metal head portion having a temperaturesensing element and a conductive wire joining the temperature sensingelement, characterized in that the conductive wire is adhered to theinner wall of the metal head portion such that the conductive wire isnot a heat dissipation portion for heat energy surrounded the sensingelement, and further acts as a source of heat energy compensation so asto rapid indicate the mercury temperature, reducing the temperaturemeasuring time.

[0014] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a rapidrespond electronic clinical thermometer, wherein the sensing element andthe linked conductive wire are fully or largely adhered with the innerwall of the metal head portion.

[0015] The foregoing object and summary provide only a briefintroduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these andother objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself,all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, thefollowing detailed description of the invention and the claims should beread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout thespecification and drawings identical reference numerals refer toidentical or similar parts.

[0016] Many other advantages and features of the present invention willbecome manifest to those versed in the art upon maldng reference to thedetailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which apreferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of thepresent invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a conventional electronic clinicalthermometer.

[0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the internal structure of the metalhead portion of a conventional electronic clinical thermometer.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the heat stream in the course ofmeasuring the structure of FIG. 2.

[0020]FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the internal structure of the metalhead portion disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,183,248.

[0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the heat stream in the course ofmeasuring of the structure of FIG. 4.

[0022]FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the internal structure of the metalhead portion disclosed in PCT WO/00/22396.

[0023]FIG. 7 is a schematic view of-the heat stream in the course ofmeasuring the structure of FIG. 6.

[0024]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the structure of the metal headportion of the measuring end of the present invention.

[0025]FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the internal structure of the metalhead portion of the measuring end of the present invention.

[0026]FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the heat stream in the course ofmeasuring the structure of FIG. 9 in accordance with the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0027] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, andare not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration ofthe invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides aconvenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made inthe function and arrangement of the elements described without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

[0028] Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, there is shown a clinicalthermometers having a measuring end 1 with an end portion connected to ametal head portion 2. The measuring end 1 and the metal head portion 2can be mounted with an adhesive agent. A stepped recess 11 is providedat the external side of the stepped portion and the recess 11 and themetal head portion 2 are adhered with adhesion agent which iswaterproof, and secure the adhesion agent 3.

[0029] A temperature sensing element 4 is provided at the interior ofthe metal head portion 2 and the sensing element 4 is a resistancedependent of temperature, for instance, the conventional thermistor503ET, and the sensing element 2 is connected to the conductive wire 5so as to connect with the main circuit for calculation and temperaturedisplay.

[0030] Within the metal head portion 2, due to the natural elastic forceof the wire 5 and the adhesion agent 3, the sensing element 4 isconnected to the conductive wire 5 so that the entire or major part ofthe configuration is in contact with the inner wall of the metal head 2.Larger diameter loops of the conductive wire 5 are rotatingly force theconductive wire 5 to be inserted into the metal head portion 2.Conventional conductive wire 5 is copper wire, the elasticity isexcellent. The sensing element 4 and the connected conductive wire 5 aredirectly adhered onto the inner wall of the metal head portion 2 to forma firmly contact configuration.

[0031] The conductive wire 5 which is adhered at the inner wall of themetal head portion 2 is fully or majority at least 0.3 cm, preferably 3cm.

[0032] The rear end of the wire 5 connected the metal head portion 2together with the fixing element 6 having low thermal coefficient tosecure the conductive wire 5 to prevent the conductive wire 5 frommoving. The fixing element 6 includes polystyrofoam, foam material. Theend portion of the measuring end 1 is connected to the metal head 2which can be used as support for adhesion agent 3 so as to preventadhesion agent 3 to distribute to the front end of the metal headportion 2.

[0033] Before the fixing element 6 is inserted with a metal head 2, thefixing element 6 is a hemisphere having a large diameter metal head 2.When the fixing element 6 is inserted with the metal head portion, thesurrounding edge 7 is squeezed to deform and is in contact with theinner wall of the metal head portion. Thus, the contact area of themetal head portion 2 with the surrounding ring side 7 is small and thecapacity is reduced.

[0034] Referring to FIG. 10, when the clinical thermometer is used formeasuring, the heat energy from the under measure person is transferredto the metal head portion 2, for instance, the heat stream 81, and thento the sensing element 4. At the same time, the metal head portion 2will produce heat stream 82. Due to the fact that the heat energysupplied from the outside of the metal head 2 is sufficient, the heatstream 82 is not large. Besides, the sensing element 4 in relative tothe heat capacity of the conductive wire 5 is relatively large, moreheat energy is needed in order to achieve heat equilibrium. Theconductive wire 5 is a metallic material, and the heat conductivity isgood and is adhered at the inner side of the metal head portion 2, thusthe produced heat stream 83 will be transferred by the conductive wire 5to the sensing element 4. Obviously, the conductive wire 5 will produceheat stream 85 along the adhesion agent 3 region and the measuring end1. Due to the length of the adhered conductive wire 5 and the closelyadhered metal head portion 2, heat compensation from outside is rapid,an appropriate region on the conductive wire 5 will form a heatresistance 84, so that the heat stream 82 will not affect thesurrounding of the sensing element 4.

[0035] By the analytical of heat equilibrium at the surrounding regionof the sensing element 4, the heat stream of the conductive wire 5portion will be dispersed differently as compared to the previous. Theheat energy is directed to the sensing element 4 when the surrounding ofthe metal head portion 2 has attained heat equilibrium, the heatequilibrium of the conductive wire 5 and the sensing element 4 will berapidly achieved without additional heat and using expensive element,reducing the time for measuring. In accordance with the presentinvention, the measuring time is reduced to 10 to 25 second.

[0036] Further, the length of the metal head portion 2 is longer thanthat of the conventional (generally, 9 mm). Thus, the interior space ofthe metal head portion 2 is increased, facilitating the winding of theconductive wire 5 so as to increase the heat-sensing contact surfacewith the skin.

[0037] It will be understood that each of the elements described above,or two or more together may also find a useful application in othertypes of methods differing from the type described above.

[0038] While certain novel features of this invention have been shownand described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is notintended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understoodthat various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in theforms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can bemade by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from thespirit of the present invention.

I claim:
 1. A rapid respond electronic clinical thermometer having ameasuring and end portion adhered a metal head portion having atemperature sensing element and a conductive wire joining thetemperature sensing element, characterized in that the conductive wireis adhered to the inner wall of the metal head portion such that theconductive wire is not a heat dissipation portion for heat energysurrounded the sensing element, and further acts as a source of heatenergy compensation so as to rapid indicate the mercury temperature,reducing the temperature measuring time.
 2. The rapid respond electronicclinical thermometer of claim 1, wherein the sensing element and thelinked conductive wire are fully or largely adhered with the inner wallof the metal head portion.
 3. The rapid respond electronic clinicalthermometer of claim 1, wherein the front half of the conductive wire ismounted to the inner wall of the metal head portion by direct adhesionand the back half is coiled and in contact with the inner wall of themetal head portion.
 4. The rapid respond electronic clinical thermometerof claim 1, wherein the metal head portion is mounted with a fixingelement of low coefficient of heat transfer coupled with the internalwall of the metal head portion, so as to provide a support to theconductive wire and for support of the adhesive agent so as to preventthe distribution of adhesive agent towards the metal head portion. 5.The rapid respond electronic clinical thermometer of claim 4, whereinthe fixing element is made from material of low heat coefficient.
 6. Therapid respond electronic clinical thermometer of claim 4, wherein thefront of the metal head portion is a hemisphere shape structure having adiameter larger than the metal head portion, thereby the contact surfaceof the metal head portion with the surrounding ring side of the fixingelement is small so as to effectively reduce heat capacity.
 7. The rapidrespond electronic clinical thermometer of claim 1, wherein theconductive wire is forcefully inserted into the metal head portion byrotating the conductive wire with loops of diameter larger than that ofthe metal head portion.
 8. The rapid respond electronic clinicalthermometer of claim 1, wherein the external edge of the end portioncombining the measuring end portion and the metal head portion isprovided with a recess.